


separation brings us awfully close

by orphan_account



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 17:40:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8111449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Tyler? Why have you been standing outside my door so long?" Josh asks, confused.
It really is stupid, just as it's about to come out of Tyler's mouth. He's not sure what he was thinking when he did think about it. It's just, he missed more than just Josh.
"Can I pet your dog?" 
Or, Tyler and Josh are recently broken up, and Tyler really misses Josh's dog.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my own AU, unless it's already been done before. But not that I know of, so. If you'd like to be aware of the setting in this story, the season is Fall, placed around mid-ish October. AU is: "we're recent exes and it hurts to hear your voice and see your face, but _wow_ , I really miss your dog."

When Tyler's friends told him he needed to get closure from his ex, he's positive that this isn't what they had meant, for him to stand outside of Josh's apartment with his hand raised high and ready to knock on the door. In Jenna's case, it would only be counted as closure if he were to hit Josh's face rather than his front door.  
  
It's been three weeks since him and Josh broke up, and he will admit it was stupid on both of their parts. They'd been in a very loving relationship for four years and it all went down the drain over a petty argument. He forgot to tell his friends the part of it that was his fault, but hey, what can a guy do after he's recently heartbroken and missing his ex like crazy.  
  
_Oh god maybe I should back out now? It's too soon, he won't want to see my face. My reason of being here is stupid. I should just leave._  
  
The door opens just as Tyler lowers his hand and turns. Tyler's heart stops, and maybe falls into his stomach. That could be the vomit ready to project upwards, who knows.  
  
"Tyler? Why have you been standing outside my door so long?" Josh asks, confused. Tyler's face scrunches up in regret and he turns back around to look at Josh. His ex quirks an eyebrow at him when he opens and closes his mouth like a fish in need of water. He may really be in need of water though, with the way Josh's white shirt fits around his torso.  
  
But the thing is, it really hurts to hear Josh's voice. The last time he heard it in person was when Josh yelled at him to leave the apartment. That's if you don't count the times Tyler replayed videos of Josh just to hear his voice when he was with Tyler, when he was happy with Tyler.  
  
"I, um, how did you know I was out here for so long?" He asks awkwardly, tucking his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. He watches as Josh coughs briefly and straightens up his stance, then crosses his arms.  
  
"I have a front window," Josh mumbles, cheeks turning faintly red. Tyler gains the idea that Josh may have also been doing something just as creepy as what Tyler was doing, practically watching him through a window, "Anyways," He motions for Tyler to answer his previous question.  
  
It really is stupid, just as it's about to come out of Tyler's mouth. He's not sure what he was thinking when he did think about it. It's just, he missed more than just Josh.  
  
"Can I pet your dog?"  
  
Josh looks taken aback, looking behind him and then back to Tyler, "You want to pet Pilot?" Josh asks like he doesn't believe the brunet.  
  
Tyler nods persistently, deadpanning, "Yes. I miss him alright? You know— _knew_ how much I love dogs," His fingers play around in his pocket, and he tries finding the slightest hint of a smile or permission from Josh with his own eyes, "I'm sure he misses me too," He doesn't get a smile, but he does get a sigh with entrance to the apartment.  
  
"Just one last time," Josh huffs, closing the door behind Tyler, "Usually when people break up, they're out of each others lives for good."  
  
Tyler winces at Josh's words, leaning against the back of the sofa and looking away from Josh. The red head yelling at him was one thing, but hearing Josh make his presence sound like pins and needles is another. He remembers when they could lay on the sofa that he's propped against for hours and still have a good time with no background noise. Now it's completely gone and Tyler hates every bit of it.  
  
"You're acting like I'm here to see you, chill," Tyler chuckles dryly, sad to take pleasure in the offended expression on Josh's face. As if on cue, Josh's full grown husky comes walking down the hall, wagging his tail when seeing Tyler. Pilot trots right over to him when he gets on his knees, "Pilot!" Tyler grins, running his fingers through the thick and fluffy fur.  
  
"Okay, you pet him, are you ready to leave now?" Josh asks rudely.  
  
Tyler looks up with his hands still petting Pilot. He eyes an anxious looking Josh, then stands, "I suppose so. Thanks," He sighs, going to hug Josh and then remembering and stopping. He lifts his hand for a handshake but stops and makes it look like he's going to scratch his neck.  
  
"Yeah," Josh mumbles, opening his door.  
  
Tyler walks past the arch and hears the door shut behind him instantly. He can hear Pilot whining a little and it breaks his heart even more. Tears begin to build up in the corners of his eyes and he walks away, trying his best not to cry.

**...**

  
  
"I'm not really interested in dating again, Jenna," Tyler mutters, letting his toes dangle against the ground while he sways on a swing, "It's only been almost four weeks."  
  
"Which is pretty much a month? I know you don't want to date right now, but at least find some candidates," Jenna replies. Tyler rolls her eyes at her comment and rests his face against the chain, "I'm going to get ice cream, do you want any?" She asks, standing up from her swing.  
  
Tyler shakes his head and doesn't even bother tuning in to Jenna's response and doesn't watch her walk away to the concession stand. He sits there, depressed, until he hears a shouting of " _No!_ " and then something covers Tyler's body and the brunet is squeaking when he falls back out of the swing.  
  
Something wet touches his face multiple times and he opens his eyes to see the familiar husky. Tyler begins to giggle as he hugs Pilot and tilts his head up to avoid the chronic licks. Soon, he hears footsteps nearby and he sees Josh's face come into sight.  
  
It almost looks like Josh is admiring the sight, but then a glare comes into place and he grabs the husky's leash and lightly pulls him off of Tyler, "I'm sorry. I told Pilot to stop but he wouldn't," Josh sighs.  
  
Tyler gets up, dusts off the back of his jeans, and shrugs, "I don't mind. I'm glad I got to see my buddy again," Tyler chirps. He leans down to pet Pilot again and smiles when the dog sticks his tongue out and wags his tail.  
  
"So, um, are you here alone?" Josh asks nervously, threading his fingers through his own hair.  
  
"Nah, Jenna's here with me. She's just getting ice cream," Tyler informs, using his thumb to point behind him in the direction of concessions. Josh nods mindlessly and stares at Tyler, making the brunet nervous under his gaze. He gets tired of their speechless moment and asks, "How have you been doing?"  
  
"Heh, do you want the truth?" Josh chuckles softly, no comedy behind it.  
  
Tyler's lips part and he shakes his head hesitantly, "I don't think I do."  
  
Josh looks down at his shoes and takes a while to answer Tyler. Tyler begins to worry, one, because of Josh's pause, two, because Jenna is taking a little too long to get one ice cream. His breathing almost stops when hearing Josh's answer, though.  
  
"I'm doing _so_ fine."  
  
"Me too. I'm doing great," Tyler replies, plopping back down on his swing, "We were still lying then, weren't we?" He asks.  
  
Josh nods sadly, looking at Tyler once again before tilting his head back down. The redhead turns his feet slightly inward, and Tyler remembers the time that Josh mentioned that he only did that when he was anxious or afraid. Tyler doesn't want Josh, out of all people, feeling that way because of him.  
  
"I should go before Jenna comes back, y-yeah," Josh squeaks, backing up away from Tyler, "Wouldn't want her to kill me, or something, ha," Josh tries to smile, but it seems that he physically can't. He slowly turns around and begins to walk away, taking Pilot with him.  
  
Tyler stands up and goes to stop Josh, but he decides to leave it. There would be nothing to talk about if he did stay, but Tyler wants to tell him everything.  
  
Soon, while Tyler sulks on his swing, Jenna returns with a double scoop strawberry swirl. She sits down on her swing and stares straight ahead while biting on the ice cream. Her silence is eerie and almost violent to Tyler, it makes him feel like she knows something that she shouldn't.  
  
"I-is it good?" Tyler asks weakly. He turns to face Jenna in his swing, but untwists the chains when she side eyes him. He directs his attention to the wood chips below his dirty Vans and lets go of a deep breath.  
  
"Was your talk good?" She asks back, munching on the waffle cone which causes Tyler to flinch lightly.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Tyler asks softly, tugging on his jacket sleeves. He watches as the three wrings around his wrist become covered by black cotton and he begins to feel a little safer after being covered more.  
  
Jenna sighs and throws the rest of her cone and ice cream into a nearby bin. She turns in her swing to look at Tyler properly, and Tyler looks back at her. Her eyes aren't as cold and her expression is a bit softer than when she arrived, "Why are you still talking to him?" She asks quietly.  
  
"I'm not! We just happened to run in to each other today, what's the big deal?" Tyler snaps, standing up from his swing and standing in front of Jenna, "I'm over him, I'm not going back to him, it is literally nothing to worry about."  
  
"Tyler-"  
  
Tyler groans and brings his hands to his face, "I'm going home. I'm sorry Jenna, but I need a break right now. Bye," He says, walking off before he can hear Jenna tell him goodbye as well. His heart aches in his chest and his legs are sharking, making the walk to his car difficult. He finally reaches his car and gets in, sitting behind the wheel with his fingers wrapped around it. He bangs his head against the top of it and whines.  
  
"I'm not over him at all."

**...**

  
  
Tyler scrolls through old pictures of him, Josh, and Pilot. All of them are ones that they look so happy in, and now, there's no chance that Josh would even let Pilot take a picture with him. The thought of Josh keeping Pilot away from him makes him grumble. He loves that little furball with all of his heart, and he still loves its owner too, but he won't admit that to himself even.  
  
He makes his way from his camera roll to his contacts. He looks at Josh's for a while, wondering if he should message him. Surely Josh wouldn't have changed his number, but he probably wouldn't have considered Tyler being a crazy ex who just wanted to see the dog he once shared ownership with.  
  
And since Tyler doesn't need to be drunk to make the biggest mistakes of his life, he goes and messages Josh.  
**  
TYLER 3:14 PM**  
  
_I want to see Pilot_  
  
He gnaws on his lip anxiously, almost hoping to not see the three dots pop up on his screen. Josh has always had read receipts on, and he doesn't want to see the 'Seen' comment below his message either. Sadly, the world goes against his wishes and Josh's three dots pop up.  
  
**JOSH 3:17 PM**  
_  
You know how to get here._  
  
Tyler gasps quietly and quickly shuts off his phone and rolls of his cough to put his shoes on. He races out of his apartment in without a jacket, which he'll decide to regret later. His bare arms can handle below 70° weather for a little while, as long as he feels like he could burn alive.  
  
When he gets to Josh's apartment, he has to wait a little after knocking for the door to open. Josh doesn't look all that impressed with Tyler being there, but the brunet doesn't care. He grins and squeals when seeing Pilot walk up to them and he brushes past Josh to pet the dog.  
  
"So when do you plan on kicking me out?" Tyler asks when the door shuts. He leans against the back of the sofa while Pilot stands on his hind legs to rest against Tyler's body. Tyler laughs at the husky and bends down to kiss his head.  
  
Josh shrugs, "You have to be out of here before seven."  
  
Tyler frowns and pauses his scratching on Pilot's ear, "Why? Do you have a date or something?" He snorts. He frowns again after seeing Josh nod like it was a chore to do the simple gesture. He gently pushes Pilot off of him, " _Oh_ , okay," He mumbles.  
  
"Do you have a problem with it?" Josh asks, walking around the sofa and sitting on it.  
  
Tyler goes around and sits on the other side, getting a cushion to hug against him. He smiles lightly when Pilot jumps up and lays between them, "No. It's just, it's been four weeks. Like, you move on quite fast."  
  
"I haven't moved on," Josh coughs and plays with the ends of his long sleeves. Tyler watches the red head look at the tv as to not face him, and he can't blame Josh for not wanting to look at him after that confession.  
  
"Then why would you be going on dates?" Tyler asks, his tone slightly confused.  
  
Josh sighs and brings his knees to his chest, resting his chin against the top of his knees, "Because I'm hoping that will help me get over you."  
  
Tyler chokes on his first try of responding, then clears his throat and tries again, "You don't have to. You—we can try a-again-"  
  
"I can't do that, Ty," Josh says, "We finished things because we couldn't find trust in each other, whose to say that we won't end up in a big mess again."  
  
Tyler shuffles around so his body is facing Josh, and he leans closer to the red head. Josh notices and pushes himself further against the arm of the sofa. The two guys' movement causes Pilot to jump off and go into another room down the hall, and Tyler is discreetly thankful, "We learn from it and grow from it. We'll know better on a second chance, Josh," Tyler whispers, scooting closer.  
  
"Or, we'll make even more mistakes on a second chance," Josh huffs with a side tilt of his head. Tyler gets tired of Josh's stubbornness and slowly maneuvers so his body is hovering over his ex's. Josh's eyes widen and he holds his breath.  
  
"People are supposed to learn from mistakes," Tyler reasons, resting one hand on Josh's shoulder and slotting his legs between Josh's.  
  
Josh gulps and lets out a little squeak, " _Or_ realize that they shouldn't have committed to something that caused the mistake," The red head sighs in relief when Tyler moves back to his side of the couch.  
  
"Are you calling our entire four years a mistake?" Tyler spits, hands balling up into fists against the soft sofa material, "As far as I'm aware, the only mistake that either of us made was getting so out of control that we broke up. But, okay, whatever theory works for you," The brunet stands up and ignores Josh racing up behind him pleading for him to wait.  
  
"You can't come crawling back when this is all your fault!" Josh yells suddenly.  
  
Tyler opens the door, walks out, then feels a slight breeze from the door slamming shut because of Josh. He stands in front of the door with his back facing it, then begins to sob. He walks away before Josh does something drastic and goes home while wiping his tears away with his hands.  
  
Tyler later walks into an empty and dark apartment that he calls home and flips the lights on. He grabs a tissues and wipes the wetness away from his eyes, also making them more red and raw. His phone begins to ding in his pocket, and he tries to ignore it, but he can't when every little thing seems to bug him now.  
  
**JOSH 5:20 PM**  
  
_I didnt want to end up arguing_

_like this._  
  
**JOSH 5:20 PM**  
  
_Im sorry for what i said before_

_you left, i didnt mean it._  
  
Tyler frowns and goes into his bedroom, sitting on his bed and then replying.  
**  
TYLER 5:21 PM**  
  
_But you did mean it. And you_ _know_

_that you wouldn't take it_ _back._  
  
He sees the three dots pop up on the other side of the screen, so he types quickly before Josh can send his message.  
  
**TYLER 5:22 PM**  
  
_Listen, I'm tired and not in the mood_

_for this. Don't even bother with_

_messaging me now._  
  
He switches off his phone and doesn't hear another ding. When his back hits the bed, he sighs in relief and stares at his ceiling, wondering how everything became so wrong.

**...**

  
  
Tyler rolls a rack of canned food to their belonging aisle, and begins restocking the shelves. He grouchily mutters swears to himself as his khakis tighten up in the wrong places as he stretches to the highest shelf.  
  
Earlier in the day, he stayed as a cashier, but the customers were making him too grumpy and he got sent to inventory. Now he's aware of the manager and people either looking at him worriedly or like he's a disgrace to human nature.  
  
He accidentally drops a can of food and looks at it roll across the floor. He bangs head against one of the shelves and sniffs and closes his eyes as to not cry.  
  
"Maybe you should take a day off," His manager, Mark, walks up and says, "You look like you're having a really bad time, so go home and I'll call in Pete."  
  
"I'd try and refuse, but it really isn't going good for me lately," Tyler sighs shakily. Mark pats him on the shoulder and lets Tyler sign out and leave the building. Tyler rushes to his car and slips into the backseat, pulling off his khakis and putting his black jeans on, then pulling a hoodie over his work sweatshirt.  
  
The brunet gets out of his backseat and gets to the drivers side when he hears the voice that he didn't want to.  
  
"What kind of luck is it that we keep meeting?" Josh chuckles weakly.  
  
Tyler closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He opens his eyes then turns around, his eyes widening slightly when seeing Josh's curly mess of hair now blond. And his eyes are covered by a pair of black shades. Then he realizes that that's not the main focus and replies, "I wouldn't call it luck, really," Tyler mumbles, crossing his arms.  
  
Josh nods in a silent agreement, and Tyler decides to speak again, "How was your date?" He asks.  
  
"Awesome," Josh says.  
  
Tyler nods, "Awesome."  
  
Josh pulls off his shades and sighs, "There was no date. I only said that to make you jealous."  
  
"What? You know, you go on about trust a lot, but you've lied to me an awful lot more than I ever have to you," Tyler scoffs, failing to fight away the feeling of his cheeks heating up at Josh's second statement, "It's pretty dumb trying to make me feel worse than I already do, do you really hate me that much now?"  
  
"Did you listen to none of what I said last night? I don't hate you, hell, I still love you!" Josh retorts, walking closer to Tyler's figure, "I just wanted-"  
  
"Me to leave? Wanted me to cry outside of your door? Wanted to come here, run into each other, and act like you didn't know it was my shift?" Tyler growls, getting his car key ready and turning around to open the door.  
  
"Wanted to say sorry," Josh clarifies, "I'm not interested in dating other people, and I'm not interested in acting like we hate each other. I'm so tired of it too, Tyler."  
  
Tyler pauses his actions but doesn't turn to look at Josh, "What're you saying then?" He asks.  
  
"I'd like to try and be friends again," Josh elaborates.  
  
"Why should I accept that?" Tyler snickers, thinking back to when he wanted to try and Josh never did. Now the tables have turned and Tyler doesn't know why he should accept Josh's offer.  
  
Well, maybe there is one thing that catches him.  
  
"You can hang out with Pilot as much as you would like."

**...**

  
  
A few days later, Tyler sits on the carpeted floor with his favorite dog rolled on his back and tail wagging with his tongue sicking out. Tyler has a hand rubbing the dog's belly and is practically baby-talking to him about how he's such a good dog. It's when Josh comes into the room that Tyler stops doing what he is and runs his fingers through Pilot's hair when the dog turns over. Pilot eventually gets up and leaves the room though, much to Tyler's dismay.  
  
"Believe me when I say that there are no dates happening later on. We are going to be the only ones in this house for the remainder of the night," Josh hums, sitting on the sofa and handing Tyler his own soda. Tyler gets up and settles on the sofa behind him as well, on the opposite side as Josh.  
  
"Can you think of all of the non-pg stuff we would have done if we heard those words two years ago?" Tyler chuckles.  
  
"More like what we _did_ do," Josh grins, "I remember those nights pretty well, but not as much as the nights where we just relaxed and hung out like a couple and best friends."  
  
"Like when we laid on your living room floor with a light projector that projected a bunch of stars on the ceiling and we tried pointing out the constellations," Tyler says with the slightest hint of a smile on his face.  
  
"And when we played a pirate ship game with your little cousins and I took you up to the treehouse as my hostage, just so I had the excuse to kiss you without grossing out a bunch of six year olds," Josh laughs and Tyler begins to as well, but the laughter soon dies out and the two are left looking at the rims of their soda bottles.  
  
Tyler wishes the earth would swallow him whole. Or preferably, that he could go back to the beginning of his and Josh's relationship when everything was going good. Because they really did have good times, somehow they all just vanished. Sometimes Tyler does actually take the blame for it even though he didn't do anything wrong. It had become engrained in his mind that it really was his fault.  
  
"It just really hurts, you know? We can't do that anymore, well, w-we can, but not with each other," Tyler subtly sniffles, not catching the attention of Josh with anything except his words.  
  
Josh shakes his head, "After what I put through, you shouldn't want to do those things with me again. I hurt you."  
  
"I hurt myself," Tyler chokes out, putting his soda on the coffee table and bending his legs and pulling them closer.  
  
"I shouldn't have accused you of cheating. It was so low of me, I should have known you wouldn't do that sort of thing. So yeah, I did hurt you," Josh replies as if everything is obvious to him. It makes Tyler's blood boil.  
  
The brunet stands up and looks at Josh with a glare, "I was the one who was hanging out with other people and getting closer to them, closer than I should've. I know I never cheated, but I hurt you too! I hurt the both of us because I didn't try and get us out of this mess!"  
  
"Tyler-"  
  
"You're allowed to feel sorry for yourself. I hurt you, you can admit it. It isn't always a one way thing, Josh. We hurt each other and we are allowed to feel like victims because of it. Stop trying to act so tough and like the world isn't against you all the freaking time."  
  
Josh stands up in front of Tyler and shows no hesitation to pulling Tyler in for a tight hug. Tyler wraps his arms around the blond almost instantly and feels Josh reciprocate. He doesn't notice his eyes have started watering until he feels a damp patch on Josh's shirt.  
  
"I'm sorry that I was s-such a bad b-boyfriend," Tyler hiccups, shoving his face against Josh's shoulder so his words come out muffled, "No wonder we broke up, I-I'm a mess."  
  
"We had a good three and a half years together, yeah, the last half was pretty sucky, but we did well," Josh brings up with positivity, kissing the side of Tyler's head, "So no, you aren't a bad boyfriend. I thought you were pretty decent, actually.  
  
"And I don't care if you're a mess, 'cause so am I."  
  
Tyler lets out a sob and Josh's eyes widen, wondering if he said the wrong thing.  
  
"You were such a good boyfriend to me and I ruined it and lost you!"  
  
Josh laughs lightly at Tyler's whiney tone and gently brushes his fingers through Tyler's fluffy, brown hair. He can tell that it calms the brunet down by the way his breathing evens out and he stops hiccuping. Tyler's fingers loosen from their grip on Josh's sweatshirt and just relax. Both guys begin to feel content, so Josh holds Tyler as he sits back on the sofa, having Tyler straddle him.  
  
"Who said you lost me?" Josh asks with a small smirk, still petting Tyler's back.  
  
" _Me_. We broke up, so I lost you," Tyler whispers.  
  
"Whose arms are wrapped around you right now?"  
  
"Yours."  
  
Josh nods and kisses the side of Tyler's head again, "Right. So I wouldn't say you lost me, or ruined it. I'm still here and always will be," He says, smiling when Tyler brings his face away from Josh's shoulder. The blond wipes Tyler's red and raw eyes and fixes up the front of my hair, "I will still be here even if you find someone better for yourself."  
  
"Not possible," Tyler mumbles, laying the side of his face against Josh's chest.  
  
"What part? Me staying, or-"  
  
Tyler interrupts Josh abruptly, "Finding someone better for me. It won't happen because it can't."  
  
Josh's lips part in a slight shock.  
  
"That's why I want to try again," Tyler says.  
  
A response from Josh never comes, but Tyler really does hope that this is their new beginning.

**...**

  
  
Telling Jenna that him and Josh are on speaking terms again after telling her that they aren't, proves to be quite the challenge. She's the one who wanted to throw Josh out to the hounds after their breakup, but to know that Tyler wants to give the guy a second chance? If anything, Josh is the one giving out second chances here.  
  
"So what did ya' wanna talk about?" Jenna asks, sitting down on a seat to the side of Tyler, but sitting sideways in it so she can face him.  
  
They're outside on her apartment balcony, so Tyler hopes she won't yell at him any for the world to hear.  
  
"Well, um, I have gone over some previous life choices I have made."  
  
"...And?"  
  
"Me and Josh are talking again, and I think we're fixing things. Also, what happened was really my fault, not his, so if you need to yell at anyone let it be me. Because really, I'm the one who needs a second chance for what I did so please don't be mad. He just makes me so happy, Jen-"  
  
"I understand you have a way with words, but I get it," Jenna rolls her eyes and chuckles, "You do realize that it wouldn't have mattered what side Josh was on, I would have still had my best friend's back."  
  
"Well, y-yeah."  
  
"And having your back also means that if I think something for you could work out in a good way, I should support it. I think this could definitely be good for you and him," She says, "And I'm not gonna lie, that day at the park, I only left to get ice cream because I saw Josh and Pilot before you did."  
  
"Oh," Tyler mumbles, "Then why were you mad about us talking then?"  
  
"Because, at that time, I was still bitter about what happened between you two. But this was your fight, not mine. It's all good now, though."  
  
"So, I have your permission to try again with Josh?" He asks with a growing grin.  
  
Jenna nods and giggles at his expression, squealing when Tyler races over and attacks— _hugs_ her in her chair.  
  
After his permission slip from Jenna, he texts Josh without much of a care in the world.  
  
**TYLER 1:35 PM**  
  
_I miss Pilot!_  
**  
JOSH 1:35 PM**  
  
_He misses you too_  
  
**TYLER 1:35 PM**  
_  
Does he really? Or do you?_  
**  
JOSH 1:36 PM**  
_  
Its a bit of both actually. Maybe you_

_should come over and solve this_

_problem? You know, for science?_  
**  
TYLER 1:36 PM**  
_  
I'll bring my safety goggles._  
  
**JOSH 1:36 PM**  
  
_Nerd :)_  
  
To say Tyler rushes to Josh's place is an understatement. He uses his car to get there this time and practically speeds.  
  
Josh is opening the door for him before Tyler even reaches it, and Tyler runs up and hugs him. The blond welcomes him with open arms, and then Pilot comes out too and stands on his hind legs to reach the two. Tyler laughs, going from Josh to the husky, leaning down and kissing Pilot's head.  
  
"I'm hoping I don't actually have to do any scientific formulas because I haven't taken science since 12th grade," Tyler grins as he stands up properly to look at Josh.  
  
Josh's eyes get squinty as he laughs, "I don't think you have anything to worry about," He says and pulls Tyler inside, letting Pilot walk inside as well.  
  
"You don't think? That doesn't sound very comforting," Tyler gasps, "Did you know that during chemistry I accidentally burnt off the eyebrows of some guy named Brendon?"  
  
"I'm sure he lived," Josh reassures, sitting on his dining table and pulling Tyler over to him.  
  
Tyler shrugs, "Actually, the next day he turned one of the sinks on high pressure and the water splattered and saturated me so-" Tyler's rambling gets cut off by a set of lips on his. He hums in shock and closes his eyes, soon moving his lips against Josh's after realizing what's happened.  
  
Honestly, after all that has gone on between them, this feels like lemonade on a hot day, or dancing in a room full of people and not caring what any of them think. It feels like he's finally come home after a long day, like _love_ and _contentment_. It makes Tyler sigh into the kiss and lean into Josh's touch even more.  
  
Josh eventually pulls away and leans his forehead against Tyler's, both of their eyes opening to different shades of brown.  
  
Josh pecks Tyler's lips once more before speaking again, "I'm ready to try again. This time, if something goes wrong, the both of us need to fight harder. I can't let you go again."  
  
"Agreed," Tyler murmurs, "Can I say the three words now?"  
  
Josh nods with a chuckle.  
  
"I love you," Tyler grins.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Out of nowhere, Tyler gets knocked to the floor and Josh is left leaning back with wide eyes. Tyler feels wetness cover his face again, like at the park. He opens his eyes to see his favorite dog over him with his tongue hanging out.  
  
Tyler and Josh laugh, and Tyler brings Pilot down to give him a hug, "I'm back, buddy."  
  
"Mhm, and you're not getting rid of us this time," Josh smirks.  
  
"I wouldn't want to."  
  
So, Tyler does figure that, maybe, the world really isn't against him all of the time.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you enjoy it?? I hope so! Thank you for reading:)


End file.
